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Our Constitution

Small Charity Constitution

1. NAME
The charity’s name is the Mirrlees Fields Friends Group.

2. THE PURPOSES OF THE CHARITY ARE

  1. To work in partnership with the landowners and other relevant organisations to bring the area known as Mirrlees Fields into wider community use.
  2. To ensure Mirrlees Fields becomes a well-managed and safe public space that will enhance the quality of life for local people.
  3. In pursuit of these objectives. the charity will:
  4. Liaise with the local community, community groups with an interest in the Mirrlees Fields, local councillors, the Stockport MBC Planning Department. the current landowners and its appointed property developers in order to retain and enhance the existing open space known as Mirrlees Fields.
  5. Work to create an environmentally sustainable strategy to protect the character of Mirrlees Fields as an open space for the wellbeing of nature as well as humans in perpetuity.
  6. Promote the potential of Mirrlees Fields as a community resource for recreational. leisure and outdoor sports activities.
  7. Undertake specific tasks relating to the improvement of the green space in liaison with the current and any future owners of the green field site.
  8. Seek to minimise any potentially negative environmental impact of developments on the former MAN Diesel factory site.

 3. DEFINITIONS

  1. MEMBERS are people who join the Mirrlees Fields Friends Group to support the alms of the organisation
  2. THE COMMITTEE is the group of people appointed to manage the charity
  3. TRUSTEES are individual members of the Committee

 4. CARRYING OUT THE PURPOSES
In order to carry out the charitable purposes, the Committee has the power to:

  1. Raise funds, receive grants and donations
  2. Apply funds to carry out the work of the charity
  3. Co-operate with and support other charities with similar purposes
  4. Do anything which is lawful and necessary to achieve the purposes

THE COMMITTEE

The charity shall be managed by a Committee which is appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the charity. The Committee shall consist of trustees who have, in the first instance, volunteered to act as members, and who, collectively, represent the full range of local residents’ interests in preserving the Mirrlees site.

Members of either the Mirrlees Fields Friends Group or the Committee may propose the names of further individuals to be invited to join the Committee. where it is felt that they will contribute areas of interest or experience that will help the Mirrlees Fields Friends Group to achieve its objectives. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of age, race, politics, sexual orientation, gender or nationality. The Committee may appoint trustees at any time, though they will automatically stand down at the next Annual General Meeting.

A trustee may be removed by a two thirds majority of Committee if he or she:

  1. Is absent without the permission of the Committee from all meetings held within a period of 6 consecutive months.
  2. Brings the charity into disrepute by his or her actions.

5. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Mirrlees Fields Friends Group is open to any member of the public who supports the aims of the organisation. They will be entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee will keep an up-to-date membership list.

The Committee may remove a person’s membership if they believe it is in the best interests of the charity. The member has the right to be heard by the Committee before the decision is made and can be accompanied by a friend.

 6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – AGM

  1. The AGM must be held every year, with 14 days’ notice given to all members telling them what is on the agenda. Minutes must be kept of the AGM,
  2. The charity may give any notice to a member either:
    (a) personally; or
    (b) by sending it by post in a prepaid envelope addressed to the member at his or her address: or
    (c) by leaving it at the address of the member; or
    (d) by giving it in electronic form to the member’s address; or
    (e) by placing the notice on a website and providing the person with a notification in writing or in electronic form of the presence of the notice on the website. The notification must state that it concerns a notice of a company meeting and must specify the place. date and time of the meeting. 
  3. There must be at least 15 members present at the AGM.
  4. Every member has one vote.
  5. The Chair shall present an annual report of the charity’s activities for the year.
  6. The Treasurer shall present a statement of accounts for the year.
  7. Any member may stand for election as a trustee.
  8. Members shall elect between 3 and 12 trustees to serve on the Committee for the next year They will retire at the next AGM but may stand for re-election.

7. COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  1. The Committee must hold at least 4 meetings each year. At the AGM they will elect the following:
    • A Chair
    • A Treasurer
    • A Deputy Chair
    • A General Secretary
  2. At least 7 trustees must be present at the meeting to be able to take decisions. Minutes shall be kept for every meeting.
  3. Members of the Mirrlees Fields Friends Group, or other individuals, may be invited to attend certain of the Committee’s meetings. with the agreement of the Chair.
  4. If trustees have a conflict of interest, they must declare it and leave the meeting while this matter is being discussed or decided.
  5. The Committee may make reasonable additional rules to help run the charity. These rules must not conflict with this constitution or the law.

8. MONEY AND PROPERTY

  1. Money and property must only be used for the charity’s purposes.
  2. The Committee must keep accounts. The most recent annual accounts can be seen by anybody on request.
  3. Trustees cannot receive any money or property from the chanty, except to refund reasonable out of pocket expenses.
  4. Money must be held in the charity’s bank account. All cheques must be signed by two trustees and in accordance with the charity’s financial control procedures.

9. GENERAL MEETINGS
If the Committee considers it necessary to change the constitution, or wind up the charity, they must call a General Meeting so that the membership can make the decision All members must be given 14 days’ notice and told the reason for the meeting. All decisions require a two thirds majority. Minutes must be kept.

  1. Winding up – any money or property remaining after payment of debts must be given to a charity with similar purposes to this one.
  2. Changes to the Constitution – can be made at AGMs or General Meetings. No change can be made that would make the organisation no longer a charity.
  3. General Meeting – called on written request from a majority of members.
  4. The Committee may also call a General Meeting to consult the membership

11. SETTING UP THE CHARITY
This constitution was adopted on 24 November 2015.